The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-07-06
TROPHIES OF THE WAR
Letter From jefferson Davis Relative to ths
Return Of the Battle Fligs.
Created Over the Proposition Like
Tempest in a Teapot.

BALTIMORE, June 30.-The Sun has the
following letter from Jefferson Davis IN
reference TO the retura of the Southern
battle flags:
''If the object now be to unite the peo-
pie of the North and South as brethren, as
a means to that end every sign of past con-
flict should, as far as practicable, be oblit-
Grated. To retain as point of pride
flag captured in battle by either
be equivalent to renewed exultatlon OF
tri1mph by the one or the other, and sure.
~ not step toward the restoration of
peace. Flags captured from a foreign
enemy may be retained as trophies
after peace, but here a cessation of
hostilities is not pretended to be the
equivalent to differentiation. l have heard
of various instances in which Southern
soldiers, having retained flags captured in
battle, did, after the war, send them back to
the organization from which they were
captured, and haYe heard of no instance
when such trophy has been displayed at a
reunion of Southern soldiers to manifest
their success in battle over their Northern
brethren. Our men fought for
principle and that they have not surren-
dered, but rather hopelessly lived to see
the good sc use of the Northern men revert
TO the teachings of their sires and re-estab-
stitution on which it was founded. That
is the only victory which would be to them
and their children thing to be priced aud
glorified. When the Confederate Govern
ment evacuted Richmond, many flags
captured in battle were deposited
in the War Office in Richmond.
So far as 1 know, they were all left there,
and found by the United States troops
when they entered the city. This would
/. ~ II h. Iaok fLak hn
South did not wish to treasure up such
evidence of any triumphs it ever had over
the North.
when Washington received the surren-
| der of CORVALLIS at Yorktown, he re-
quired the British colors to be delivered to
him in cases. The United States Govern
ment presented those flags to General
Washington, and ne left them to George
Washington Parke Gusts, by whom
| they were entrusted to me
when l was Secretary of War,
snd left IL the War Office at Washington.
| Though these were foreign flags and signs
of a very memorable occasion, the United
States Government did not deem them OF
| sufficient importance to be exhibited as
| trophies of a victory over former enemy,
but presented them TO the soldier to whom
| they had been surrendered.
THE South has manifested no desire to
have possession of the flags lost in battle
| their value departed when they were sur
| rendered, and the excitement which has
been created over the proposition to
return both to the North and the South the
flags they had lost in battle seems very Ike
a tempest in a teapot. Whether
they should lie and be consumed by
moth in boxes of the United States Wal
| Office or be returned TO their former own.
ers, has one element of value, which is
that the restoration would be declaration
such as the Romans made, that there
should be no triumph for a ictory won in
civil war.
80 far es ii should express the feeling
of restored fraternity, 1t would be an ad.
vance toward that condition which all
reasonable men will recognize as desirable
among those who are to live together"